Special Events

Past Events

On November 18, 2003, Auschwitz survivor Eva Kor was awakened by a terrible phone call from the Terre Haute Police Department: Someone had set fire to the Holocaust museum she had founded. CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center will host a candlelight vigil this Saturday, November 16, at 7:30 pm at the museum (1532 S. 3rd Street) to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the fire, celebrate the community's support, and dedicate itself to further unifying the community.

Speakers at the event will celebrate the community’s outpouring of support to rebuild and reopen just 18 months after the hate-fueled firebomb destroyed the museum. The panel includes Magda Brown, a Holocaust survivor from Skokie, Illinois, who will speak about her community’s response to the neo-Nazi march in 1978. Other diverse speakers will discuss the importance of education about respect and diversity, and will provide an opportunity for audience members to share their vision for the community. According to CANDLES Executive Director Kiel Majewski, the goal of the ceremony is to inspire participants to take action to create a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive culture.

The symbolic vigil will start with Eva lighting the first candle, then passing it from person to person to show our ability to illuminate each other through education. Participants will then encircle the outside of the museum with their candles lit as a symbol of our responsibility to protect and stand up for others who are threatened by fear, hatred, and violence.